


blood, betrayal, and bees

by maruyaaya



Series: The Traitor Trilogy [1]
Category: Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Angst, Gen, PTSD, Traitor Toby Smith | Tubbo, a whole lot of it, based off the election war, but based off it, completely platonic everything is platonic, dont ship tommy and tubbo u r gross, everyones a little fucked up, haha that was a joke my parents won’t let me see a therapist, idk lol, me: haha vent fic go brrrrrr, my therapist: noooooo you can’t just ignore all your emotions and write vent fics, no beta we die like men, not completely canon to that storyline, oh my god am i funny guys am i funny, this was a vent fic at first, traitor Tubbo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-09
Updated: 2020-10-09
Packaged: 2021-03-08 04:14:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,929
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26909461
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/maruyaaya/pseuds/maruyaaya
Summary: “Tommy, I know you trust him. I can tell because… he’s Tubbo! He’syour Tubbo. Tubbox! Tubbo in a box, remember that? Remember Tubbo in a box?”-Wilbur Soot
Relationships: Toby Smith | Tubbo & TommyInnit, none lmao
Series: The Traitor Trilogy [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2110362
Comments: 16
Kudos: 159





	blood, betrayal, and bees

**Author's Note:**

> so basically i started writing this before the whole wilbur goes evil and wants to destroy manberg so just pretend that it matches up with the plot anyways this was supposed to be a short vent fic but nooooo i can’t write anything short can i
> 
> (ALSO I DIDNT PROOFREAD THIS OOPS)

He’s tired. He’s just so tired. 

He isn’t sure how long he’s been running, but his legs are aching. He’s managed to crawl his way to the top of the tower, Wilbur standing at the edge alongside him. Tommy’s still invisible, the effects of the potion he’d drunk earlier not yet wearing off. 

Despite his invisibility, he hides around a corner, as if Schlatt will spot him by just the few floating bubbles around him. Tommy really wouldn’t put it past Schlatt. The man was evil incarnate, Tommy wouldn’t be surprised if he could see through fucking potions. 

He peeks over the edge, finding a sight that practically stops his heart. Wilbur whispers his name, but he isn’t paying attention. Tubbo is walking up the steps of the presidential debate podium, taking a place next to Schlatt. 

“Heyyy! It’s Tubbo, my _right hand man_.” Schlatt places a hand on Tubbo’s shoulder. Tommy doesn’t miss the way Tubbo flinches at the touch, stiffening his back and staring straightforward. 

He can only assume that Schlatt’s hands are cold and Tommy watches as Schlatt tightens his grip on Tubbo's shoulder. He wants to run down there and rescue Tubbo. He obviously doesn’t want to work for Schlatt and they needed more numbers. He could run there, grab Tubbo, and leave with no repercussions. 

“Tommy.” Wilbur growls Tommy’s name softly and Tommy is reminded of what's really at stake. His life. He could make one wrong move and get both himself and Tubbo killed. And he hates to admit it, but he’s afraid. 

“Tubbo, are you saying you don’t want the job?” As Schlatt speaks, Tommy can feel his heart rate speeding up. He’s missed part of the conversation, but now is the only part that matters. Tubbo only needs to say no. He can say _no_ and run away with Tommy. 

They can be together, just like in the L’Manberg war. They’re a duo. Tubbo isn’t supposed to leave Tommy. That isn’t how it works. It’s never been how it works. 

“No, I want the job, I do!” Tubbo only needs to speak a few words and Tommy feels something inside of him snap. He realizes that he shouldn’t judge Tubbo. Not straight away. Tubbo is probably afraid and tired. He probably doesn’t know what to do in the slightest. 

But Tommy can’t help but feel that Tubbo has betrayed him. He’s basically declared that he’s on Schlatt’s side. The very same Schlatt that just banned him and Wilbur from L’Manberg. 

Tubbo’s eyes are darting back and forth, fingers twitching at his side. Schlatt doesn’t release his grip and Tommy only now realizes just how tight Schlatt is holding Tubbo. 

“That’s great, Tubbo! See, I told you, I love this guy! He’s my right hand man, isn’t that right?” Schlatt laughs. He actually has the _audacity_ to laugh, as he squeezes Tubbo’s shoulder and waits for a reply. 

“Yes, uh- Yes, Mr. President.” Tommy hears Wilbur let out a gasp at Tubbo’s words. Tubbo can’t be betraying them. He can’t be. He’s… He’s _Tubbo_. Tommy bites down on his lip, feeling his invisibility begin to wear off. 

“Alright then, Tubbo, here’s your first order. I want you to find TommyInnit and Wilbur soot.” Schlatt trails off, waiting for a reaction from Tubbo. Tubbo, however, is completely still — as if frozen in place, “and **kill** them.” 

Tubbo still doesn’t react. 

Tommy isn’t sure what hurts more, the fact that Schlatt has now ordered his best friend to kill him or the fact that Tubbo doesn’t seem to care. Tommy’s always trusted Tubbo more than anyone in the world. Tubbo was everything. Tubbo was his platonic soulmate. His best friend. 

“Wilbur, I-“ Tommy wants to object, to tell Wilbur that they have to rescue Tubbo. But he knows he can’t do anything. 

“Tommy, I know you trust him. I can tell because… he’s Tubbo! He’s _your Tubbo_. Tubbox! Tubbo in a box, remember that? Remember Tubbo in a box?” Wilbur is trying. Tommy can see that. Wilbur is trying so hard to cheer up Tommy. To convince him that Tubbo might still be good. 

Tommy hates to be the first one to say it, but he thinks that Wilbur is trying to convince not only Tommy, but also himself. Tubbo is meant to be their friend, not their enemy. 

“Tommy?” Wilbur’s voice breaks as Tommy doesn’t respond. He’s too busy looking down at Tubbo. Tubbo has a faraway look on his face as if he is trying to focus on anything except the situation at hand. Schlatt is holding Tubbo close, hand still gripping his shoulder as if Tubbo is his own fucking property. 

And it hurts. It hurts so goddamn much to see Tubbo so emotionless. Tommy’s always considered Tubbo to be the better of the two. Tommy always felt too much. He was always angry or yelling. Tubbo was calm. He was happy, he really was. 

Now he wasn’t. Or maybe he was. There was no telling from the blank stare fixed on his face. Tommy couldn’t even tell if Tubbo was the least bit sad at being ordered to kill his best friend. 

“I remember. We gotta go, Wilbur.” Tommy wipes at his eyes. He isn’t going to start crying, he won’t let himself. He turns away so that Wilbur won’t see him, his invisibility completely worn off. 

There is nothing but silent air between Tommy and Wilbur and there is nothing that he can do but continue to walk. His feet hurt, but he continues to walk. Wilbur leads the way through the forest. Tommy trusts Wilbur. He does. Wilbur has given him no reason not to trust him. Just because Tubbo betrayed him doesn’t mean that Wilbur will. 

Tommy keeps a hand on his sword the whole time.

* * *

“Fuck.” Tommy mutters as pain courses through his leg. He’s attempting to wrap it in bandages, but each layer seems to be getting just a little bit too tight. He slowly unravels the bandages and begins to try again. Wilbur turns toward him from where he was previously tending to the small fire they’d created. 

“Let me help you.” Wilbur reaches out to take the bandaged, but Tommy swipes his hand away. 

“I can do it myself.” Tommy is determined to do it on his own. It’s a small act, but he doesn’t want to admit that he needs help. Needing help is a sign of weakness. It always has been, so Tommy will bear the pain because he isn’t weak. He doesn’t need help from anyone — not even Wilbur. 

His leg is dripping blood, the arrow wound staring down at him menacingly. He chokes back a sob. He can’t remember anything except for Tubbo. He can’t focus on anything but the look on Tubbo’s face. Tubbo’d never had a good poker face, but there had been absolutely no emotion on his face. He hadn’t looked scared or happy or even sad. 

“Tommy, let me help you.” Wilbur repeats and Tommy scooches in closer to Wilbur. Wilbur bends down and slowly wraps Tommy’s leg in the bandages, smiling at the younger boy, “You can be too stubborn for your own good, y’know.” 

“Shut up, Wilbur.” Tommy crosses his arm, biting down on his lip as a particularly tight bandage sends pain up his leg. He shuts his eyes to ignore it and the pain begins to subside. 

“Don’t be rude to the guy tending to your injuries, dickhead.” Wilbur tucks in the end of the bandage and steps back, admiring his handiwork. Tommy hates to admit it, but Wilbur’s done a better job than Tommy knows he would’ve done. 

Perhaps he can ask for help sometimes. 

Out of the corner of his eye, Tommy watches as his communicator lights up with a message. Before Wilbur can warn him not to look at it, it’s already in Tommy’s hands. His eyes dart across the message, once; then twice. 

_**Tubbo:** Tommy? Were r u? can u come with me pls? tommy? _

The misspellings are just like Tubbo and as Tommy reads it again and again, he can only think of how long Tubbo must have spent trying to get the words right. He feels something prick at his eyes, but he refuses to let himself cry. Not over a traitor like Tubbo. He’d had his fill of that with Eret. 

“Tommy?” Wilbur mutters Tommy’s name, reaching for the communicator. Tommy swipes it from Wilbur, holding the glowing blue screen close to his chest. A vibration runs through the device and Tommy takes a look at it. 

_**Tubbo:** i miss U_

Tommy’s chest begins to ache. He hates it. He hates this feeling of powerlessness. Tubbo is a traitor. He’s just like Eret. Tubbo isn’t worth any of Tommy’s tears. But Tommy is still crying over him. 

“I’m taking a walk.” Tommy doesn’t wait for Wilbur to respond and instead heads off into the forest. Pushing aside branches, he waits until he’s a far enough distance out so that Wilbur won’t hear him. 

He screams. He screams and he isn’t sure when he stops. Each breath he takes is just another gateway to a choked sob between his lips. Tubbo, his best friend, now his enemy. A traitor. A fucking traitor. 

Tommy can’t breathe. The world is spinning and everything is blurry. He's not even sure if he’s stopped screaming. God, he misses Tubbo. He wants Tubbo back. 

He wants to hear Tubbo rave about bees. He wants to watch as Tubbo talks about ‘flavours’ or some other crazy bit that he’s thought of. He wants to try and guess if Tubbo is pretending to be Big Law or Big Crime or Toob. There is so much that he misses about Tubbo. 

But he can’t let himself miss Tubbo. 

He can’t miss a traitor because it will only make him weak. Tubbo no longer cares about Tommy so neither does Tommy. He has a nation to build. Tubbo is the least of his worries and he’s not worth crying over. 

Tommy stands up and heads back to the small cave that he and Wilbur had begun to make their home. He catches sight of the ghostly horse that he’s left in a pit in front of his new home and he scrambles through the door. Shutting the door behind him, he realizes that his tears are still wet. 

Tommy yells a hello to Wilbur who is mining down to create more space in their cramped cave. Laying on top of Tommy’s bed is a curled up piece of paper, the edges nearly burnt off. 

Tommy picks it up and recognizes the handwriting. It’s one that he hasn’t seen in a long time, since the beginning of the first war perhaps. Despite the ages of not seeing it, every dip and every curve of the thick black letters are so eerily familiar to Tommy. He can’t help but be excited at the small signature hastily scribbled onto the corner of the page. 

_Wilbur Soot & TommyInnit.  
so i heard you guys might need some assistance  
-Technoblade _

“He’s never been a man of many words, huh.”

* * *

Technoblade arrives at night the next day, pink hair unusually long and wrapped into a neat braid. His eyes are bright despite the dark bags beneath them and there’s a crown atop his head. He smiles at Tommy and Wilbur, tilting his head as a welcome. 

“Did someone say rebellion?” He laughs, raising his eyebrows at the sight of Wilbur and Tommy, clothes ripped and hair sticking up at every angle. Tommy rushes forward only to stop himself short of giving Techno a hug. WIlbur is standing behind him, arms crossed and eyebrows furrowed. 

“You gotta cut that braid off.” Tommy lets out a laugh and Techno whips the pink hair over his shoulder, swinging it back and forth. 

“Aw I thought it made me look handsome.” Techno’s voice doesn't rise beyond its usual deadpan snark, but there’s a smile painting his face, “you don’t look too happy to see me, Wilbur.”

“You’re American, Techno.” Wilbur’s face is frozen in something that's somewhat akin to a mixture of fear, disgust, and sadness. Techno’s smile faded and he looked back at Tommy. 

“Wil, he’s Technoblade! He’s big man Techno. Don’t you trust him?” Tommy throws an arm around Techno’s shoulders, watching as Techno stares down Wilbur. The pink haired man locks eyes with Wilbur, biting down on his lip. 

“Tommy, I don’t trust him as far as I can fucking throw him.” Wilbur’s rough words remind Tommy of the fact that he is in a war. He doesn’t have the luxury to trust anyone no matter how close they’ve been in the past. 

Tommy glances between Techno and Wilbur. Techno shifts his weight from one leg to the other and then back and forth. Wilbur is staring straightforward yet not at Techno, simply past him. 

Tommy can feel a weight pressing down on his shoulders. Maybe he shouldn’t have responded to Techno’s letter. Maybe he should’ve listened when Wilbur said not to contact Techno. Maybe he should’ve done a lot of things differently. 

He can feel his heart rate speeding up as the uneasy silence grows. Techno isn’t sure how to defend himself; how to make Wilbur trust him. Wilbur isn’t sure if he _can_ trust Techno. Tommy feels caught between the two of them. Between the two men he used to see as his older brothers. 

“You can stay here with us, but I don’t trust you. We need men and we need power. That’s why I’ll let you stay.” Wilbur turns away, crawling into their makeshift home. Techno follows and Tommy stands outside for a few moments. 

The moon is shining bright above them, a full circle glaring down at him. He watches the stars twinkle in the sky. There’s only one sky across the world. 

_Tubbo is probably looking up at this very same sky right now._

His chest hurts as he thinks of Tubbo. He misses him. He misses him so goddamn much. But he’ll deal with the pain. At least for now. 

“Tommy, you coming in?” Techno peers out of the cave, seemingly already having made himself at home. His hair is out of its braid and crown missing from his head.

“You’re so impatient, bitch!” Tommy nods toward Techno and despite his harsh words, he’s already running toward the small opening in the wall. He laughs as Techno pulls him inside, arm wrapped around his head in a headlock. 

“Careful what you call me, child.” Techno laughs softly as he releases Tommy from his tight grip. Tommy turns toward Wilbur, hoping to find him laughing from their small exchange. But Wilbur is already in bed, facing the wall with his back turned towards them. 

Tommy lets put a sigh before crawling into bed himself. He doesn’t think he’ll be able to sleep much. He hasn’t been sleeping at all recently, but a little bit of rest can’t hurt.

* * *

It’s been nearly two hours and Tommy hasn’t fallen asleep. His eyes are wide as he stares at the ceiling. He looks over at the other two. Techno is cuddled in his blankets, hair hanging off of the bed. Wilbur is still turned away and Tommy can’t tell if he’s actually sleeping or not. 

He slowly sheds his blanket and steps outside of the cave. The moon is still bright overhead as Tommy sits on a ledge. He stared at the sky. He wonders what’s going on in L’Manberg. Tommy used to look up to Schlatt.

Schlatt had been like a hero. Tommy had fought with Dream for hours and hours to unban him from the Dream SMP. Now he had to fight against the same man that he had looked up to for so long. 

The wind snakes its way through the air, whispering secrets to Tommy as it passes by. Some say that the gentle whispers of the wind are passed down to you by someone far away whose only thought is to love you. Some say these claims are a work of fiction. Tommy feels inclined to believe it. He hopes that the soft whispers are a message from Tubbo and that he isn’t truly alone in the world. 

“Couldn’t sleep?” Wilbur’s voice is soft as he sits down next to Tommy and Tommy realizes that even if Tubbo isn’t here, he’ll never be alone in the world, “yeah, me either.” 

“Did you see the way Tubbo didn’t even react? He didn’t even object when Schlatt told him to kill me.” Tommy mutters, refusing to look Wilbur in the eyes. His blue eyes are fixated on the moon above, still wondering if perhaps Tubbo is looking at this same moon. 

“Did you hear Fundy cheering? My own _son,_ cheering ‘yes Mr. President’ when Schlatt exiled us.” Tommy stole a look at Wilbur who was staring down at the ground, picking at small rocks embedded in the dirt. 

Tommy leans in closer to Wilbur and Wilbur wraps an arm around Tommy’s shoulders. The two men look at each other and Tommy rests his head on Wilbur’s shoulder. There’s a small moment of silence; the blank air seemingly shaking between them. 

“Fuck, I miss Tubbo” Tommy’s voice is soft as he chokes back a broken sob. Wilbur runs his hands through Tommy’s hair, trying to calm down the blond male. 

“I know, Tommy.” Wilbur whispers. He watches Tommy bite his lip trying to contain any sobs that might spill out. His soft caress of Tommy’s hair doesn’t stop as he tries to calm him down. 

“Hey boys.” Techno doesn’t say anything besides those two words as he takes a seat next to the two boys. He wraps an arm around the two of them, leaning down into their huddle. They cuddle close for warmth in the cold wind of the night. 

There’s a soft realization between the three of them as they realize that they really are all that they have left. There’s a bond between them that can’t be shattered, three broken souls that have found rest with each other. Like brothers — true brothers. 

Perhaps not in blood, but certainly in bond. 

Tommy only misses Tubbo more as he realizes how happy Tubbo would be to be in the midst of a group hug such as this one.

* * *

“Tommy, we need to go.” Wilbur’s voice is rough as he shakes Tommy awake. Tommy rubs at his eyes, sensing the urgency laced in Wilbur’s every word. Techno is standing at the door, sword in one hand and shield in the other. 

“What’s going on?” Tommy mumbles as he moves to grab his things. He quickly puts on the netherite armour gifted to him by Dream and grabs his ender chest, careful to keep it in a pocket where it won’t fall out. 

“They found us.” Wilbur answers, breaking down the door of their small little cave. Tommy follows Techno and Wilbur out, stealing one last look at their nation of Pogtopia. 

He figures he’ll miss it at least a little bit. It may not have been the comfiest hideout, but it kept him safe for a quite a while. He turns away and doesn’t look back as his feet echo off the crackling leaves. 

“Tommy!” A familiar voice stops Tommy dead in his tracks. His eyes go wide and he stares across the forests, searching for the source of the voice. 

“Tommy, what are you waiting for?” Wilbur notices Tommy lagging behind and steps back to grab his hand. He drags Tommy forward as Tommy continues his search for the voice. 

“That was Tubbo! I heard Tubbo!” Tommy yells, face falling as he realizes that Tubbo is nowhere in sight. He knows that he heard it. It was clear as day. Tubbo is somewhere in this forest and Tommy wants to find him. 

“Tubbo is with Schlatt. You can’t trust him.” Techno has a hand on his sword as he keeps a sharp lookout through the forest. He’s in the lead of the group, having spent hours upon hours simply memorizing the terrain. Wilbur called him a ‘human GPS’ once and Tommy thinks that it fits him pretty well. 

“I know, but…” Tommy trails off. It’s been over a week since he’s last seen Tubbo and it feels like it’s eating him from the inside. They used to call for 10 hours straight and spend the rest of the day hanging out at each other’s houses. Tommy doesn’t like being apart from Tubbo. 

And as much as he hates to admit it, he still has an inkling of trust for Tubbo, the boy who used to be — or perhaps still is — his best friend. 

“Helloooo!” a drawn out voice made its way in front of them and Tommy’s eyes widened at the sight of the men standing in front of him. A small whisper of fear makes its way through the group as a figure practically materializes in front of them. 

“Schlatt.” Wilbur can only mutter Schlatt’s name as he stares at the man in front of them. Tommy feels something build up inside of his chest at the sight of the men. 

He lets out a heavy sigh. Tubbo is there. Beautiful, kind, soft Tubbo is standing next to Schlatt. Schlatt has his hand firmly gripped onto Tubbo’s shoulder and the faraway stare in his eyes is one that Tommy is far too familiar with. 

He hates the blank stare on Tubbo’s face. Tubbo is meant to _feel_. He’s always felt so much. Quackity is on Schlatt’s left with George on his left. There aren’t many of them, but Tommy assumes that further warriors are hidden somewhere in the bushes. 

There’s no way that Sapnap has allowed them to have such a confrontation without him. Sapnap’s a bit of a pyro, isn’t he, always itching for a fight. Punz had promised to remain neutral, but it’s unlikely for him not to seek out a fight as large as this one. As for Dream? Tommy can only assume that he’s off in the shadows somewhere, praying for George and Sapnap’s safety without lending any help. 

“Hey guys! It’s been a while, hasn't it? Tubbo, say hi to Tommy!” Schlatt elbows Tubbo and Tubbo’s expression doesn't change. He locks eyes with Tommy, back stiff as Schlatt squeezes his shoulder once. 

“Hi Tommy.” Tubbo mutters, his voice not even rising above a deadpan tone. There’s something wrong. Something completely utterly _wrong_. Tommy can tell even now that Tubbo isn’t okay, not in the slightest. 

“Tubbo, what are you doing?” Tommy’s voice breaks as he looks up at Tubbo. Tubbo shuts his eyes for a second — just for a second — and then the blank stare is back. 

“I’m sorry.” Tubbo replies and Tommy can instantly tell there is something wrong. Schlatt’s hand grips tighter and there’s something in his tight grip that makes Tommy think. 

“You betrayed us.” Tommy mumbles, looking to Wilbur and Techni for support. The older boys walk up behind him, standing on either side of Tommy to shield him from any surprise attack. 

“I’m sorry.” Tubbo repeats yet again and Tommy can pinpoint the exact thing that’s wrong. Schlatt’s grip is off. He’s holding onto Tubbo as if he owns him. As if Tubbo is his property. It’s a familiar look to the very day that Schlatt became president. 

“Why? Why did you do it?” Tommy can’t help but hope for an answer. Something about Tubbo being a spy or being forced. He wants to be able to trust Tubbo again. 

“I was scared.” Tubbo answers, earning a small pat on the back from Schlatt. Tommy feels something rise up his throat. Tubbo isn’t Schlatt’s fucking _property_ and how dare he treat him like that. 

“We were all scared! You can’t betray your best friend because you were fucking scared.” Tommy bites down on his lip. He can feel tears pricking at his eyes, the wet droplets making their way down his face. 

“I’m sorry.” Tubbo’s voice is softer, but Schlatt shoots him a look and he stiffens. Quackity and George look at each other, unsure of their situation. 

“Can you say anything except ‘I’m sorry’? I’m getting pretty fucking sick of it.” Tommy takes a step forward, only for Wilbur and Techno to both pull him back. 

“I’m sorry, Tommy.” and there’s a moment where Tommy can feel his heart shatter when Tubbo says his name. It just doesn’t sound right. Like there’s something in Tubbo that is keeping him from expressing even the smallest emotion. 

“That’s my boy, Tubbo!” Schlatt cheers, patting Tubbo on the back once more. Throughout their whole conversation, Tommy notices that Schlatt hasn’t once removed his hand from Tubbo’s shoulder. 

An arrow shoots past Tommy’s cheek, leaving a thin red welt on his face. Someone’s screaming. Multiple people are screaming actually. Not even a second passes before Tommy has his sword in his hands, the heavy netherite weighing down on his slender fingers.

The smell of blood fills the air and Tommy can hear both Wilbur and Techno grunting in pain. He tries to take a headcount of everyone that they’re facing, but they’re all moving around so quickly that it’s difficult to see. 

Aside from the obvious Schlatt, Tubbo, Quackity, and George, he can see Sapnap atop a tree. Sapnap had been the one to fire the first arrow. Punz and Dream are both nowhere to be found; it’s not really a shock but Tommy still feels relieved. 

It’s a 3v5. They’re not heavily outnumbered, but they’re for sure outmatched in terms of weapons and gear. Their chance of winning is low and their chance of winning without any fatal casualties is even lower. 

Tommy smirks softly. 

That’s exactly how he likes his fights. 

“A fair fight just isn't any fun!” Tommy yells, his sword clashing against George. He shoots a look at Techno who’s locked in battle with both Sapnap and Quackity. 

“You’re right, this isn’t fair. It should at least be a 10v3!” Techno laughs, bringing up his shield to narrowly block an arrow to the chest from Sapnap. Tommy doesn’t respond as he feels a sharp pain run down his arm. 

He stumbles back, catching sight of the bleeding gash down his left arm. He supposes that he should at least feel slightly lucky that it’s his left and not his sword holding hand. He swings at George, scanning the crowd for Tubbo. 

He spots Wilbur and Schlatt fighting, but he can’t see Tubbo anywhere. It’s as if Tubbo has disappeared without a trace. 

He feels white hot fire fill his shoulder. He reaches a hand up, finding an arrow embedded in his shoulder. He looks for the source — for someone to blame. 

Tubbo is standing a few feet away; crossbow in hand and eyes wide. Tommy can’t do anything but continue to attack George, trying his hardest not to move his left arm. The arrow hurts. It hurts so fucking much. But there are more pressing matters at hand. 

Tommy thrusts forward and George is on the ground. He points his sword at George’s throat, peeking around to catch sight of Tubbo. Tubbo is staring straight at Tommy, crossbow pointed forwards but not loaded. It’s as if he hasn’t moved since he shot that first arrow. 

And Tommy realizes that perhaps Tubbo has finally realized what’s going on. Perhaps his trance of betrayal has finally been snapped. He scans Tubbo’s face, hoping to find any sort of emotion whatsoever is his eyes. 

Tommy thinks that he can spot the faint sparkle of a tear roll down Tubbo’s cheek. 

“Easy dub!” Techno laughs, looking over from where he has both Quackity and Sapnap pinned down. Both are missing their swords, seemingly strewn carelessly across the battlefield. Tommy realizes that disarming George would be a smart move, especially before he gets distracted and allows George to take him down easy. 

With one quick step, George’s netherite sword is in Tommy’s hands, dual wielding two of the most powerful weapons to exist. Tommy looks over at Wilbur who is still locked in battle with Schlatt, diamond sword against netherite with a devastating clang. 

Tommy looks at Technoblade and the two run towards Wilbur, watching him fight from a short distance away. Tommy isn’t really entirely sure what to do. Does he help Wilbur? Does he simply watch? He follows Techno’s lead and stands still, watching the fight with his tilted slightly to the side. 

Wilbur is on the ground. 

Before Tommy can even react, there’s an arrow sticking out of Wilbur’s gut. It’s almost matching to the one in Tommy’s shoulder. Speaking of; the adrenaline is slowly wearing off and Tommy can feel white hot pain run through his body. 

Tubbo has magically appeared next to Schlatt, the very same crossbow that he used to shoot Tommy in his hands. Schlatt laughs, patting Tubbo on the back and placing a hand on his shoulder once more. 

“Good work, Tubbo! That’s my boy!” Schlatt cheers and the words strike Tommy as odd. He’s heard them before, near the start of the fight. The way Tubbo tenses up at those words isn’t normal. The way his back straightens and his eyes flash forward, back to their look of nothingness isn’t _fucking_ normal. 

Tommy immediately bends down, placing a hand on the bleeding wound. Techno had his bow out, aimed straight at Schlatt. Wilbur lets out a small groan before waving his hand for Tommy to help Techno. 

Tommy hesitates for a second — just a second, then stands up next to Techno. His bow in his hands and aimed at Schlatt, Wilbur sitting on the ground behind them. Schlatt doesn’t seem at all terrified at the two bows aimed directly at him. 

Actually, he looks… amused. 

As if it’s all a game. As if he’s never been in danger this whole time. There’s a sly smirk on his face and Tommy wishes for nothing more than to hear the satisfying crunch of his fist on Schlatt’s face. 

“You don’t want to shoot me.” Schlatt smiles, tapping his foot against the ground gently. 

“Why the fuck not?” Tommy spits, pulling his bowstring back. His fingers are tight on the string, prepared to release at any moment. He knows that he won’t hesitate to kill Schlatt. Not for a second. 

“Because I‘ve got your precious Tubbo.” and in just a moment, Schlatt’s hand has moved from Tubbo’s shoulder to his neck. The blade presses against Tubbo’s neck, drawing a thin red line straight across.

And Tubbo still doesn’t react. There’s no fear in his eyes. None at all. The only thing that Tommy can see is that fucking faraway look that’s painted Tubbo’s face since the start of the war. Tommy begins to think that perhaps Tubbo will never go back to the way he was. 

“Tubbo.” Tommy can only mutter Tubbo’s name, his voice breaking. He just wants to be happy, is that so much to ask? 

“Drop your bows.” Schlatt demands, gripping tighter onto the blade. Techno waits for Tommy to give him an order. Tommy knows that Techno would shoot Schlatt and sacrifice Tubbo with no hesitation. 

It would be the right thing. One life for many. For just Tubbo’s life, Wilbur could be unexiled. Techno could explore the lands he had been banned from the first day he’d arrived. Niki could finally smile that same smile she’d always had, untouched by the horrors of the war. Perhaps even Eret could become their friend once more. It’s selfish of Tommy to refuse to take Tubbo’s life for the greater good. 

But Tommy is selfish. He knows that he is. And without hesitating, he would sacrifice every single person in Dream SMP and L’Manberg for Tubbo. For his best friend. For the only person that he’s ever trusted. 

Tommy nods at Techno. 

Technoblade is fast. It all happens too fast for Tommy to even realize what’s going on. Before Schlatt can even see Techno raise his weapon, he’s on the ground clutching his neck with an arrow embedded in it. Tubbo has fallen, silent and bleeding. The movement was fast. Too fast for Schlatt to carry out his promise of slicing Tubbo’s neck. Instead, there’s a thin gash running down the side of Tubbo’s neck; an act of Schlatt trying to slash anything he could reach. Techno runs towards Schlatt, taking the bleeding man into his hands. Tommy instead opts to run to Tubbo. 

“Tubbo, hey Tubbo! What’s up!” Tommy mumbles, voice as soft as he can force it. Tubbo is still breathing. _Thank god_. The knife wound isn’t too deep, but it’ll definitely be fatal if not treated soon. Tommy is bent at Tubbo’s side, pushing Tubbo’s dark hair off his forehead. 

“Oh hey Tommy. I miss you. I’m sorry.” Tubbo breaks off into a cough. Tommy wipes the bleeding gash, watching Tubbo’s eyes as they softly flutter open and closed. 

“It’s alright, Tubbo. You just gotta stay with me, right Tubbo? You’re Tubbo! You’re _my Tubbo_. Tubbox! Tubbo in a box, remember that? Remember Tubbo in a box?” Tommy can see Wilbur smile at those words as he bends down next to Tubbo, trying to deal with the wound while ignoring his own bleeding stomach. 

“I remember. You’re _my Tommy_. Tommy Trusty, right? Remember that?” Tubbo laughs softly and before he can say anything else, Tubbo’s passed out, his chest still slowly heaving up and down. Tommy thinks to himself that he hasn’t heard Tubbo laugh in far too long of a time. He has to admit that the sound alone had to have been one of the nicest things he’s ever heard. 

“Techno, deal with Schlatt.” Wilbur looks over at Techno who already has Schlatt’s limp body in his hands, “Tommy, me and you have to get Tubbo to L’Manberg quickly.” 

“Actually, it’s Manberg.” Sapnap pipes up, wrapping his white bandana around a wound on his arm. Tommy can feel something build up inside of him. Perhaps it’s rage or perhaps it’s sadness, but something inside of him just begins to _burn_. 

“Alright, Sapnap, you fucking bitch! Why don’t we fight? Oh wait, we already did and I won ths fucking war so you can shut your dumb fucking mouth and piss off you son of a fucking bitch or else I’ll fucking-” in the midst of his words, Tommy pulls out his bow, sending a single arrow straight at Sapnap’s shoulder. Sapnap winces as it makes contact, but he stands still. 

“Tommy be quiet. We’ve already won. He can’t do anything to us.” Wilbur picks up Tubbo, carrying the unconscious boy in his arms. Tommy turns towards him, shooting one last pissed off look at Sapnap. 

“Sap, let’s go.” George gestures to Sapnap, helping Quackity up and moving to leave. Sapnap slinks toward the group, pulling the arrow out without a second glance. None of them bother to say a goodbye before leaving, although Tommy can hear a pained yelp by Sapnap followed by George yelling, “Sapnap, you dumbfuck! Why would you pull out a fucking arrow like that?” 

“Tommy, you’ve got an arrow in your shoulder.” Wilbur points out, staring at the offending wound. Tommy shrugs, letting a small laugh slip past his lips. 

“Yeah and you’ve got a fucking arrow in your stomach.” Tommy reaches up for the arrow in his shoulder, brushing his fingers against it to tear it out. Wilbur tentatively grabs Tommy’s hands and pulls it down, a warning not to try and yank it out himself. 

“Don’t tear it out. We’ll get Niki to do it when we get back to L’Manberg. We’re pretty fucked up, aren't we?” Wilbur laughs, grabbing Tommy’s hand while still carrying Tubbo. The two walk together through the forest. 

For a few moments, there is nothing but the soft whispers of the wind. Tommy remembers a time when he stared at the sky, only hoping that he was looking at the same stars as Tubbo. Now he knows that every little secret the wind is carrying is meant for him, all a gift from his best friend.

* * *

The war is over. 

The skies have cleared and the smell of blood doesn’t sit in the air constantly. Pogtopia is nothing more than a relic, a reminder of when Tommy had to fight for his life. Techno asks if Wilbur and Tommy want to come with him to Pogtopia, to gather all of their supplies and belongings. 

Tommy and Wilbur both say no. There is something about a place so full of bad memories that makes you want to avoid it for the rest of your life. Techno returns in a few hours, arms full of bags and bags of whatever he could find. 

The wound in Tommy’s arm is nearly completely healed, a fantastic job done by Niki. Wilbur still winces when he breathes, but he’s healing. They’re all healing. Bad memories don't just disappear in a day when you’ve won, they take ages to be replaced by good memories, but when they finally are? Tommy thinks he’ll be happy again. 

Then there’s Tubbo. 

He’s woken up and healed from his injuries, although there’s a thin scar running from the bottom of his neck halfway up his face. Tubbo hasn’t mentioned what he thinks about it, but from the grimace he made the first time he saw, Tommy thinks he can guess. 

None of them are healed. Healing takes time. Wilbur will wake up in the middle of the night, screaming while the smell of burning fabric fills the air. Tommy will sit, panicking when he can’t see Tubbo anywhere near. Techno will smell the faint scent of a potato and be reminded of the time when that was the only thing he had to eat. Tubbo will freeze in place, a faraway look in his eyes as if he is trying to feel absolutely _nothing_. 

“Hey, the walls are looking nice!” Wilbur shouts, watching as Tommy carefully plants another black brick into the wall. They’ve expanded, sure, but the walls provide a familiar feeling of comfort; one that Tommy had missed for a while. 

“Everything I do is nice, Wil!” Tommy laughs, waving a dangerously heavy bucket of bricks in the air. Tubbo follows suit, showing off a particularly tall section of the wall he’s built. Tubbo smiles — a real genuine smile. 

“Wilbur, take a look!” Tubbo claps, staring up at the black bricks that he’s carefully laid together. Each one is carefully held together, a portrait of all of their hard work. 

“That’s my boy, Tubbo!” Wilbur pats Tubbo on the back, his smile not fading for a second as he speaks. Tubbo goes still at those words. Completely, perfectly still. 

He doesn’t move an inch save for the faraway look to return to his eyes once more. Tommy can’t tell what’s wrong. Tubbo’s breathing slowly begins to pick up, his breaths shallow and quick as he leans backward against the wall. 

“Schlatt. Schlatt please go away. I want to go to Tommy and Wilbur.” Tubbo mutters, voice rising as his eyes wildly whip back and forth. Tommy and Wilbur shoot each other a look, silently asking what they’re meant to do. 

Tommy slowly takes a step towards Tubbo, wrapping an arm around his shoulders. Wilbur follows suit, pulling both of the younger boys in close. Tubbo shuts his eyes as Tommy squeezes him once. 

“It’s okay, Tubbo. Schlatt can’t hurt you. It’s me, Tommy.” Tommy whispers. Wilbur repeats a small mantra of encouragement, telling Tubbo what’s going on. 

“You’re safe, Tubbo.” Wilbur tells him, hugging him close. Tommy runs a finger down Tubbo’s scar, the thin white line spreading halfway up Tubbo’s face. As much as Tubbo dislikes it, Tommy has to admit that it makes Tubbo seem tough. He’s glad that the scar is the only thing that came out of Schlatt’s blade to the neck 

“I’m safe.” Tubbo mutters, gently opening his eyes. He takes in his surroundings; the walls slowly being rebuilt and both Tommy and Wilbur with their arms around him. Tubbo let’s out a heavy sigh and smiles, “I’m safe, I am.” 

Tommy ruffles Tubbo’s hair, watching as the shorter boy swats at his hand. They’re not cured, of course they’re not. War is traumatic and Tommy thinks that Tubbo might just be the most fucked up out of all of them (not that trauma is a competition, of course, Tommy notes). 

But even through all of their pain, the skies will always turn blue and the sun will keep shining. The world will keep living, so why not live with it? Why not make the most of whatever happy times you have left?

Tommy stares up at the sky, watching each white cloud float by. He thinks that he’s been stuffed underground for far too long and he’s missed the smell of fresh air. He is in Manberg — no, L’Manberg now. He’s in his home with his friends. 

He can spot Techno walking up in the distance, a familiar figure by his side. The green hat is recognizable from any angle, the legendary Philza Minecraft himself. 

“I’ll race you to Phil!” Tommy yells at Tubbo who screams something of an approval. The two run up the hill to Techno and Phil, followed by Wilbur. As Tommy feels the soft wind blow past his face, he thinks that this really is his home. It’s everything that he’s ever wanted. 

And Tommy thinks that really, he’s not that tired anymore.

**Author's Note:**

> the ending is a lil bit open ended but i hope you guys liked it :)) i’ve never written sbi or dreamteam stuff so i hope i got their personalities okay lol


End file.
